Curtain-fixture.



' 'PATBNTED MAR. 13, 1904.

J. W. PATERSON. CURTAIN FIXTURE.

APPLICATION IILBD AUG. 1, 1901.

H0 MODEL.

Ilnrra mm Patented March 8, I904.

arnnr FF1CE.

JAMES W. PATERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CURTAIN NEW JERSEY.

CURTAIN- armers.

SPEGIFKGATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 754,404, dated March 8, 1904.

Application filed August 1,1901. Serial No. 70,477. (No modeli) To all whom, it etty concern:

Beit known that I, JAMES W. PATERSON, of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illi nois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Curtain-Fixtures, of which the following is a specificationf This invention relates to that class of ourtain-fixtures wherein the lower'margin of the shade is provided with spring-actuated friction shoes serving to restrain the shade against the tendency of its winding-up spring. The construction is such that the friction device is rendered operative mainly by the upward pull of the curtain-roller spring and is relelsgsed by'a downward pull upon the curtain itse In thedrawings, Figure 1 is asectional elevation through the curtain-stick. showingthe holding device arranged therein. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the curtain-stiek,.partly broken away and showing the holding device in edge view. Fig. 3 is a detail showing an operating mechanism for the holding devices, and Fig. 4 is a detail showing the shoe in the release position. I

In the drawings let 5 represent a flexible curtain or shade, which, it is to be understood,

will be mounted upon a spring-actuated shade-roller. (Not shown.) In the lower margin of the shade is mounted a suitable tube or hollow curtain-stick, which in the present illustration is shown as a flat tube, (marked 6.) Within the hollow of this ourtain-stick and near its outer ends are slidably and pivotally mounted the shoesY, having friction-surfaces 8. The shoes 7 are shown as in the form of cams and as provided in the shank or body portion with a slot 9, through which a pin 10 passes, said pin being fixedly secured in the shade-stick.

gives them a cam action and affords the necessary adjustability to variations in the windew-frames. Beds 11 are loosely connected to the shoes '1 by the pivots, (marked 12,) and these rods are surrounded by the springs 13.

The mechanism described is preferably duplicated in each endof the shade-stick, and

This slot-and-pin connection renders the shoes capable of slight endwise as well as a rocklng motion, which the rods 11 preferably extend inwardly to,

near the middle of the stick and are provided with actuating devices whereby they may be retracted against the thrust of their controlling springs. As shown, the rods have a threaded connection with the aperturedplates 14, the apertured portions of said plates overlapping each other, and-the operating-bolt 15' having cranks 16 lyingwithin said apertures and engaging the walls thereof, the cranks being oppositely disposed, so that by rotation of the bolt in one direction the rods are.

moved, the apertured plates sliding upon each other, and the friction-surfaces 8 may be positively withdrawn from contact wit'h'thejbottoms'of thejgrooves'in the window-frame or their frictional contact therewith so farredueed as to enable the curtain to be easily lowered. The ends of the tube 6 project into the groove to serve as guides, and it will be observed that the upper wall of the shadestiek is cut away, as shown at 6*, and that the rear portion of the shoe? is rounded 011". Various obviouschanges can be made in connection with this guiding feature without departing from the invention.

As shown in Fig. 1, the friction-surfaces 8 are in contact with the window-frame, (indicated at 18,) the springs 13 aflording sufiicient pressure to maintain the shoes in holding position. If it be desired to adjust the curtain to a higher position, it can be forced up against the holding action of the shoes; but as such mode of adjustment would have a tendency to throw the shoes out of the groove the proper mode of operation is to retract the shoes by operating the bolt 15, whereupon the curtain may be adjusted up or down, and when the bolt is released the springs will return the friction-shoes'into contact with the window-frame andhold the curtain in the adjusted position. In drawing the curtain down it is not necessary to retract the shoes. A pull on the bottom of the curtain will cause the heads to rock on pins 10, as indicated in Fig.

' 4, thus reducing the friction to aminimum, as

only the lower corners of the shoes would ride in'contact with the grooves. The instant the curtain is released from the moving force the shoes tend to rock into frictional engagement.

with the bottoms of the grooves. It may also be observed that this fixture may be operated in the same manner as various fixtures heretot'ore introduced by means of pendants or other retracting means, both in the upward and downward movement. In fact, in the usual types of devices of this character. the release when the curtain is to be lowered is as necessary as in the raising movement; but in my construction it is immaterial whether the force of the outwardly-thrusting springs be overcome when the curtain is to be drawn down. The general public operate these devices carelessly, and to overcome the difiiculty arising from their improper operation various means have been proposed and are largely in use for making the curtains automatically self-righting. While this curtain device is not in the strictest sense self-righting, it is automatic in its operation, and the heads are otedlocking-cam at the end of the bar adapted to engage the casing above its pivoted point, a rod carried by the bar and pivotally connected to the'cam, a spring for normally forcing the rod outward to set the cam into holding engagement with the casing, and means for retracting the rod.

- 2. In a window-shade holder the combination with a casing and a spring-actuated shade, of a bar carried by the shade having ends extended to .serve as guides, pivoted locking-cams at the ends of the bar, springactuated rods Within the bar pivotally connected to the cams, and means for retracting the rods to release the cams from holding engagement with the casing.

3. In a curtain-fixture for spring-actuated curtains a curtain-stick, shoes slidinglyand pivotally mountedthereon, springs normally tending to thrust the shoes into contact with the window-frame,-and means for retracting said shoes, substantially as described.

4. In a curtain-fixture the combination with a curtain stick of sliding, pivoted shoes, springs normally tending to thrust said shoes into contact with the window-frame and the shoes being adapted to rock upon their pivots when the curtain is lowered whereby to release the curtain, substantially as described;

, JAMES w. PATERSON,

Witnesses:

' G. O. LINTHIGUM,

FREDFRIGK G. GooDwIN. 

